OPD Contract Mental Health Professional

The State of Montana's Office of Public Defender (OPD) issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) numbered OPD-RFP/RFQ-2019-0046 seeking licensed mental health professionals to provide contract mental health services statewide. The solicitation, which was open from June 24, 2019 to June 24, 2021, required potential contractors to be qualified professionals capable of conducting specialized evaluations such as Fitness to Proceed, Chemical Dependency, and Psycho-Sexual assessments. Contractors will be expected to assist OPD attorneys and contract counsel in representing clients across criminal and civil matters by providing professional mental health expertise. Interested professionals were required to complete specific application questions, upload current resumes, professional licenses, and submit redacted example evaluation reports. The solicitation fell under commodity code 3920 for Professional Services - Legal Services, with the primary contact being Brett Schandelson, reachable at Brett.Schandelson@mt.gov or +1 406-523-5142.

The RFQ appeared to have no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational types, indicating that any qualified licensed mental health professional could potentially respond. Candidates were required to have an active or recently expired Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with OPD and possess appropriate professional credentials. While specific award values or budget ranges were not detailed in the provided documentation, the contract opportunity was structured to establish a pool of qualified mental health professionals who could be engaged for ongoing evaluation services. The solicitation suggested a flexible, as-needed contracting approach rather than a fixed-term, single-vendor arrangement. The opportunity emphasized professional qualifications, expertise in mental health evaluations, and the ability to support legal proceedings through comprehensive, professional assessment services.